7523/When a Date Goes Awry

When a Date Goes Awry
Date of Scene:	18 May 2019
Location:	Sanctum Santorum - Base Floor
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Black Cat, Doctor Strange

---

Black Cat has posed:
The Black Cat might be an urban legend of the rooftops of New York's boroughs -- lock your windows lest you lose your sparklies -- but Felicia Hardy is a gemstone in the social scene herself. She's never let her personal hobby get in the way of seeing and being seen in the world of the upper crust. This being said, an invitation to a charity event isn't passed up because, surprisingly, it's for one of her few supported personal causes. Another three inches and she too can donate some of the platinum-blonde tresses to make wigs for medical patients. It does make for gratifying chitchat over champagne and fingerfood off silver trays when the time comes to brag.

With her hand curled around Stephen's arm at the crook of his elbow, Felicia's a vision in an ankle-length halter dress in a finely-shimmering jewel-tone green, nearly a match for her eyes lined in kohl. Sleeveless and with a daring side-slit nearly to her hip, it drapes on her flatteringly...to say the least. Of course, her clutch and heels match. At her neck, a simple golden necklace sporting a single emerald, teardrop by cut, to match her earrings. Her hair flows loose and luxurious about her shoulders and by the small smile she's wearing on those red-red lips, she's pleased as pie.

After all, heads turned when folks realized who'd arrived at the charity gathering. "I bet you recognize a few people," she says sotto-voce towards Stephen.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    "I recognize a few people who always tried to show off around." Stephen says almost as if he was annoyed by those people, even before he was a wizard. "Some people you can just tell they're doing it for the internet points or for the worst reasons." Stephen adds though there was a time he was helping others for the worst reasons... Stephen looks over Felicia's head and around the room once more, his emerald green bow tie fidgeting in the light as though it was covered in the faintest and finest gems but impossibly small. He adjusts it with his free hand while the other is tucked into the pocket below his matching cummerbund.

    Stephen's wearing an illusion but it is magic from the sorcerer supreme, so even to the touch it feels exactly like it should. The finest tuxedo from the most exclusive artisans and tailors from Italy. Stephen lowers his hand from the tie to pat against Felicia's arm curled around his own. "This is nice." He says, unware of his own accent pieces slowly changing color along with Felicia's dress, to keep in line with the wizard's kaleidoscope of color slowly changing from green to blue.

Black Cat has posed:
Felicia gives the man's arm a squeeze in return for his gentle patpat. "If you see anyone you can play nicely with, let me know," she replies, sounding amused at the dry dismissal of a few of his former peers. She steers them both subtly towards the long table hosting a wide variety of nibblings as well as a section dedicated to drinks. She releases her hold upon him to sashay down the way and gather up a champagne flute a-piece. Giving him a twinkling grin, she returns to his side, adding, "Plate us up some of the good stuff, Copperfield."

Across the room, a pair of pale eyes narrow in on the pair. Stephen might feel it like the sudden thin shadow of a cloud across the sun. Felicia seems no wiser for it, though she does feel the fine hairs on her neck rise as if stirred by a cold breeze. A little shiver runs through her.

"Shoot, should've brought a shawl or something," she mutters before sipping at her drink. She freezes with her flute before her lips again as her own eyes go wide. "Um...I don't think that's the same color we arrived in." Of course, she means his tie and cummerbund. A glace down at herself and she makes a near-silent 'eeep' -- her dress is now more of a deep aquamarine than the emerald-green of earlier.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    Stephen was standing at the table, watching Felicia walk away for a brief moment before he takes control of his baser instincts again and smirks at himself before he grabs a plate and sets it down next to the hor'dourves and starts to place a handful of thinly cut wraps and some cheeses onto the plate with a smirk as Felicia says something about colors. "No. It certainly is not." Stephen says putting the black plastic tongs back onto the table and his hand goes through a duo of finger positions and then... The colors begin to change shade a bit more rapidly shading from aquamarine into something much more royal blue. "Uh oh." Stephen says way too casually as he seems to ignore the sense of forboding as he doesn't want to spook Felicia.

Black Cat has posed:
"Uh oh, what?" Felicia blinks at him before her eyes widen yet again. She pulls a pinch of the free-flowing material of her dress from her hip, revealing a bit more of her thigh in the process. "You mean uh-oh, this? Well, yeah, Copperfield, I arrived wearing green, not blue!" For her, it's a matter of uninvited attention -- //awkward// uninvited attention. "...maybe I can say it's color-changing in the temperature or something," she murmurs to herself, letting the skirting of the dress fall about her legs again. "Not a bad color on me anyways." Her concern melts into a pleased smirk as she arcs an eyebrow at Stephen.

The sense of focused attention ebbs away. An older gentleman sets aside both his plate and drink. He has a hatchet face, nose aquiline, and those pale-grey eyes return to the pair. His hair, at one point, was likely true-auburn; it's nearly whited out now, still speckled with the natural red. Stephen will feel the delicate minor chime of magic coming into play as the man attempts to glamour himself invisible on the approach.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    "Felicia." Stephen says strongly, trying to get the woman's attention by saying her name fully and softly but with that tone that he's not in control of the situation. "Something isn't right." The wizard says finally. He's not in control at all and yet he's willing to say it so towards her. He does trust her something incredible.

    Stephen takes Felicia's arm in his again and starts to lead the woman towards one of the out of the way areas where he can talk a bit more freely. "There is something wrong with my magic and there's others around us." Strange reports when they get a bit more secluded. "You're dress is still green but it's changing because my magic is haywire." The wizard reports.

Black Cat has posed:
The woman's face falls into transparent surprise at her name, especially in that tone of voice. The champagne glasses are smoothly set aside on the buffet table before Felicia takes a step closer to him, her clutch held before her stomach. "Roger that, Copperfield," she murmurs to him. There's no balking on her part as she travels with him to a corner of the expansive conference room, nearer to the windows leading out to the long balcony paned with glass windows.

"Haywire? What - why is your magic going haywire?" she asks, her jade-green eyes wide again. They fall to his tie and then to her dress. She 'eeps' in surprise once more. "Purple?!" Granted, the shade nearing amethyst is still flattering to her. "Crap! What can you do? Can you, like, meditate or something? Align tai-chi magic or something? Chakalas? Charkas?" She means 'chakras'.

Like a shark cutting through the shoals of bright fish, the pale-eyed man goes completely invisible beneath his glamour. He narrows in on the pair and smiles silently. From the small of his back, the assassin pulls a black-metal kriss knife, its aura a low glow in venomous yellow. This blade is meant to be buried in Stephen's unsuspecting back!

Doctor Strange has posed:
    "If I knew I would fix it." Stephen remarks to Felicia in a whisper, mostly unaware of the man aiming to take his life and likely his title in such mundane ways. The only thing Stephen knows at this moment is someone is using magic around them. "I can't cast Felicia, the colors are changing on their own. This is out of my hands." The wizard says as a frown starts to form on his hands and his fingers begin to twitch subtly but it's there.

    The shade of purple continues to shift from a deep royal purple towards a magneta towards the red specturm of color. While Stephen and Felicia remain in the corner Stephen looks up to Felicia as his hands begin to shake again and there's a real concern in his blueish eyes but words are not spoken just yet.

Black Cat has posed:
"This is bad," the cat-burglar whispers.

As if sensing the Sorcerer Supreme's moment of weakness, the assassin's pale eyes taken on a pearly cast to match his cold toothy smile. He's within easy striking distance now. Behind Stephen, he brings back the kriss dagger good and high, ready to arc the blade down and bury to the hilt in the man's back.

Nearby, someone strikes a match to light a cigar, thinking they can get away with smoking indoors given their income. The briefest flaring of light glitters off the wavy blade. Stephen can see Felicia's eyes go wide as she stares over his shoulder. Reflected in them is the raised blade itself, limned in yellow auroral flare, primed to strike.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    Stephen's eyes widen briefly before he pushes backwards away from Felicia, trying to get her away from danger of the near floating daggar. He grits his teeth and tries to smash the assailant with his back and tries to turn after the initial contact, but he's not sure if it was enough to protect the woman he was with.

Black Cat has posed:
"Hey!?" It's a shout nearly whistling with close-throated adrenaline as she's suddenly shoved away from the Sorcerer. She works for balance in her shoes for a few steps before finding it again and then dropping into a crouch far more suited for...well, her suit than that dress.

The assassin lets out a grunt of expelled air and the dagger swings wide of Stephen, nearly cutting a slit in his tuxedo's cuff. The glamour falls to reveal the man himself and he snarls, his expression nearly inhuman as he brings the knife back again.

A whift of something flying past close to Stephen's head follows, enough to disturb his hair. Felicia's small purse takes the assassin smack in the face and he yelps, clutching at his nose now beginning to bleed. He blinks watery eyes towards the pair.

And that is Felicia whipping around Stephen in shocking grace with her own teeth bared with...one of her shoes in-hand. "EFF OFF!" She breaks the heel from the shoe itself slamming it against the man's head. One down, one more to use! Already, while he's reeling backwards, she's stooping to pluck the other one from her foot.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    Stephen blinks as he was about to protect himself and his date, but the cat has other plans it seems. The wizard smirks as the dress reaches its red phase, the woman is in full on attack mode and even breaks her shoe against the assailant's head. "Oooo." Stephen coos at the KONK sound before he steps up as Felicia finds herself flat footed and ready to attack again.

    His magics may be abandoning him, but the wizard was taught martial arts and he steps up with his hand snapping forward flat and held sideways to smash his injured palm into the knife weilding man's chest. "We're not in the mood for these antics." Stephen says before he holds his hand up towards one of the staff at the event and demands. "Call the police."

Black Cat has posed:
Still half-blinded by a broken nose and an ear boxed by a now very broken shoe, the assassin doesn't catch Stephen on the approach. His chest is an easy target and the force knocks the wind from him well and good. The dagger clatters from his hand when Felicia swing down her shoe upon his forearm, setting nerves to claxoning in pain, and he yelps again, now backed into the corner of the place itself. They've drawn attention now, that's for sure, between the ruckus and Stephen's call for assistance.

Wearing her dress now in a brilliant, heart-fluttering shade of carmine-red, the cat-burglar steps up slightly in front of the Sorcerer, her mouth still baring teeth in a mad snarl. "You sit your ass there and go quietly, or so help me god, I'll bury this someplace where the sun doesn't shine!" She brandishes her other shoe, now barefoot.

The assassin, staring above his hand clamped to his nose, simply nods as he slides down to sit on the cold floor. The dagger lies off to one side, no longer sportings its venomous aura.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    Stephen turns to Felicia and pulls her aside and tries again to get her attention. "Felicia. I think it's time we go." The Strange says, after he stops to get the broken piece of her shoe off the ground and hands it to her before he actually scoops the woman up in his arms.

    "We'll be leaving now." The wizard says to one of the staff members. "Here's my card." He says, expecting Felicia to extend his card towards the helper. "Have the officers call me when they get here. My girlfriend is quite shooken up and we are going to be headed home now." Stephen explains even as he carries the thief towards the car to keep her feet clean and safe.

Black Cat has posed:
Snapping out of her furor as soon as she feels the familiar scarred palm touch her arm, Felicia aids in removing herself from the immediate area with a light dance-back on her bare feet. "Stupid asshole!" she still hisses before composing herself as best she can. "Fine by me, Copperfield, let's go." A shout makes her look over. The staff is already directing security towards them and she gives them an owl-eyed look before 'eeeep!'-ing once more upon being scooped up. Oh, this is novel, being carried like something out of a fairy tale.

The head staff member, a brown-haired woman in a vest, approaches them. "Excuse me, sir, but -- " Stephen interrupts flawlessly and, finding a business card between her fingers, Felicia offers it out to the woman with a bright and falsely-twinkling grin. "Right, but -- but, Doctor -- " Doesn't matter, Stephen leaves the staff and interrupted charity gathering behind.

Once out of immediate sight of gawkers and anyone aware of them, Felicia simply wraps her arms around his neck and hugs him tightly. "...that scared me," she admits in a whisper.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    "I noticed." Stephen whispered to Felicia, though he holds her up and is trying to remember where she parked her car, Stephen is savoring the moments he gets to be close to the blonde woman whose dress has now taken on a wonderful shade of tangerine. "Why do you think we're leaving the scene of an assault so abruptly and romantically?" Stephen says with a smile towards the thief as he walks down the way to where he thinks the vehicle might be.

Black Cat has posed:
Felicia appears from her hug about his neck to look around, feeling the air change from interior-warm to exterior-cool. His comment makes her snort and then giggle despite herself, half out of embarrassment at the snort, really.

"Being carried? Definitely romatic. The shade of this dress now? Not so romantic. Orange, Copperfield? Really?" she asks, plucking at the fabric composing the sling about her neck, all that's holding it up. Or her in. What a delightful little picture her arms frame now, with fingers loosely interlaced about the back of his neck. "Car's parked one row down," she adds impishly, guessing that he might not remember. "Spoiler alert: it's also not orange."

Somebody really doesn't like orange.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    Stephen rolls his eyes, and then smirks towards Felicia before he cants his head, "I wouldn't be too sure, your dress isn't orange either." The wizard says, and waits for it to be obviously more and more yellow until he starts to move towards the car Felicia so delicately pointed out. "It might be a different color as well. Who knows? My magic is doing what it wants it seems." Strange explains again and yet he walks, carrying his paramour with a genuine smile on his lips. "And don't worry, I'll tell everyone I know you snort."

Black Cat has posed:
Felicia is busy pursing her red-red lips down at her dress, now a cheery sunflower-yellow, and glances up at the Sorcerer, still worried by the delicate frown she wears. Misfiring magic has been anything but fun so far, in her experience -- but hey, color-changing clothing seems to be a minor worry compared to the frightening events of earlier.

Stephen's threat, however, has her affecting a loud gasp. "Ooh, you! Don't you dare! No gentleman does that! I'll tell everyone you walked into a door last week. Right off it, whap - like a Stooge." She grins unrepetantly, twiddling her bare toes. They're French-manicured, of course.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    Stephen makes it to the car and carefully opens the door while still holding Felicia and slowly manages to get her into the seat without her feet touching the ground. That she fought on earlier, but that was in the heat of the moment, so some slip up on his gentlemanly duties is acceptable. If only just.

    "Fair, I surrender. i wont tell a soul miss Hardy." Stephen says as he shuts the door and then walks around to the other and climbs in. "Sorry the date wasn't as fun as either of us would have wished for it to be." Strange notes, his eyes looking back at the yellow-green shaded dress, the color of over-watered grass, but still a great look on Felicia, some how. Or so the sorcerer thinks to himself, and likely his face belies his thoughts to the thief.

Black Cat has posed:
"Oh, Copperfield." Felicia gives him a warm little smile across the distance of the car, her eyes twinkling. "If I'd known somebody was out to get you, we wouldn't have gone. It was exciting, but..." She reaches out from the passenger seat and gently takes one of his scarred hands without squeezing it too hard to make bones ache.

"Look. You're not the Sorcerer Supreme because somebody stuck a gold star on your shirt with the name on it. I know you...you know a lot of things I don't about some scary stuff and you're strong. When you're strong, sometimes...life isn't always fun. But you know what was fun?"

The cat-burglar smiles a little more fully now, switching into the gear of 'utterly alluring' as she flutters her dark lashes. "Watching you try to keep your eyes above my collarbone."

A little rill of fond laughter and she settles back into her seat. "Onwards, Jeeves," she intones teasingly, and the pair drive away from the building, safe and sound.